Reject AB 2047: California’s Attack on 3D Printers, Creators, and Open Source

California lawmakers are advancing A.B. 2047 toward a floor vote in the State Assembly within the next few weeks. The bill would require 3D printers sold in California to run government-approved software that scans every print and leaves it up to unproven algorithms to identify blueprints which could be firearm components. The real impact however is surveillance, manufacturer lock-in, and censorship without recourse — while the scheme is easily bypassed by people already willing to break existing law by producing firearm parts. 

Unlike similar bills, A.B. 2047 goes as far as criminalizing individual users who disable or modify these systems, implicating the open source community and any users or developers  who create or use third-party tools.

This bill won’t stop ghost guns, and it’s not about safety. This law demands an unfeasible tech solution for something that is already illegal, and is an attack on user control over devices they already own. California legislators are handing a huge gift to printer manufacturers looking to lock-in users. Creators across the state, from engineers to costume designers, will be stuck with fewer choices, new inconveniences, and enshittification driving up costs and surveillance risks. 

California is not merely another state market. It is large enough to set defaults for the entire technology industry. We need to stand with grassroot innovators and demand that the legislature reject A.B. 2047.

Wishful thinking

A.B. 2047 would require 3D printers sold in California to use government-approved algorithms that scan print jobs for supposed “firearm blueprint files” and block flagged prints. But the technology this bill mandates cannot reliably do what it is supposed to do. 
Ordinary objects like props, repair parts, tools, and toys can share geometric similarities with firearm components, meaning any detection system will produce false positives. Meanwhile, someone intent on making firearm components can find ways to bypass algorithms entirely, create undetectable designs, or simply build a 3D printer with common components. 
Algorithms can’t detect intent. This bill signs up California for an expensive game of cat and mouse that only inconveniences people following the law.
 

Attack on Open Source

This bill goes further than any other like it introducing criminal penalties for the disabling or circumvention of these systems. In practice, this threatens open-source firmware, third-party software tools, repair modifications, and independent innovation around 3D printing technology. 
 

Surveillance Lock-in

A.B. 2047 paves the way for manufacturers to lock users into proprietary ecosystems, restrict repairs, and drive up costs. The requirements can also only be feasibly met with cloud-connected AI scans of every print, a surveillance apparatus prone to misuse and stifling lawful speech. 

We’ve also learned from the history of Digital Rights Management (DRM) that giving companies the ability to write untouchable code, shielded by criminal penalties, leaves the consumer worse off. It robs us all of the ability to choose the right tools and improve what we already own—while creating a hotbed for vulnerabilities security experts aren’t allowed to fix.      

Only the Beginning
Once this infrastructure exists, it won’t stay limited to firearm-related files. Systems designed to monitor and block prints can easily expand into copyright enforcement, political censorship, or broader restrictions on lawful expression and innovation. 
California must reject print censorship, and we’re running out of time. Contact your Assemblymember today and tell them to vote no on A.B. 2047.